Bibliogryphon

Tony Benn was never senile and Claire Short was never a man. Although I could perhaps understand why you might have been confused about the later.

Aye, and fairly chipper they were, also revealed they always invite Mike Nesmith to join them but he's otherwise engaged writing a book (and sitting on his Tippex fortune!) Maybe Michelle Phiiips should throw her lot in with the surviving Monkees in some kind of sixties extravaganza show. From what I understand (as the son of a major Monkees obsessive), while Nesmith really does not enjoy playing with The Monkees per se, he feels he has an obligation to their fanbase to play and doesn't feel it'd be right to rob them of the chance to relive their childhoods. I don't know if that's charming or arrogant really. Not knowing the veracity of that comment, but presuming it, could be that he came from money and the others didn't and over time it simply wasn't his primary source of income (did his mother/parents die yet?) and I can understand some dissociation on his part vs the others. SC Nesmith didn't exactly come from money but as his career went on his mum's income from her liquid paper patent grew and grew, so when she died he inherited a stack. Much of this has gone on arts projects, and his own solo work gradually got really arty (dunno if SC's Monkees obsession extends to having a tonnage of solo Nesmith, but he's an ambitious, admired and impressive songwriter - I really love The Prison album, which is all of those things). I think Nesmith thought that whilst The Monkees gave him recognition and opportunity he didn't like the way the whole thing was packaged and that they would be forced to record other peoples songs in preference to their own. He also hated that hat. I think some of the later more experimental stuff in the later Monkees stuff was driven by him.

Jimmy Carter has just replaced Oliver Sacks in my 2016 Shadowlist.

I hope that doesn't mean he will have his German citizenship revoked.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Dodd wound up doing a Tommy Cooper on stage, he will literally keep touring till he reaches either the morgue or the nursing home I'm surprised there's still an audience. My In-laws have been several times to see him. Apparently he is well worth seeing live he puts a lot into it I do think he might end up doing a Tommy Cooper though.

Just saw it recently (mainly because I was curious to see the charming Miss Coleman in another role) and I have to say I agree with every word of your assessment. The production was a real shipwreck, it would seem. Thank you for the validation three years down the line but I still see that you are labouring under the misapprehension that Jenna Coleman is charming. That may be true if charming is actually a code word for annoying and talentless.

Damn she was part of my line up for 2016.

I once appeared on 15 to 1 when William used to host it. However he only came in to read the questions and never chattered with the contestents. The set was held together with masking tape and bits of wood.

Last Friday I completed my profiles of those people on my 2016 teams who were not picked for 2015. Including one Joy Wright. However it does solve one dilemma: that of the picture. The woman is never pictured alone it is either with her sisters or her husband.

I was running a training course in a Chinese hotel about how health and safety rules should be managed in Chinese factories and there was some work being done on the hotel. I looked out the window and saw no evidence of anyone wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). However poor H&S is not just an over there thing. I once went to do some work at a factory in Northamptonshire where I had to scramble over pipes and boxes to reach the fire exit. I knew the fire exit was there because I had been to the factory when the previous owner had it. This was not the only failing that I highlighted in my report. They never asked me back.

I'm not sure that this is the appropriate time to post that I have just been promoted to a role that I didn't even have to apply for.

Barbara Bush is now the second oldest first lady and the first oldest second lady. No wonder George looks confused.

85 Today Happy Birthday

Ken Dodd has tour dates scheduled until end of April 2016. I do not think he will be troubling the DL next year.

They haven't got everything right, though. "Prince William will become the new Prince of Wales — Charles’ current role." While that may well happen, it's not automatic. 'Prince of Wales' is a title in the gift of the monarch. Prince Charles himself wasn't created Prince of Wales until 1958, six years after his mother's accession. This is actually quite important the opportunities for pomp are part of the thing that keeps the monarchy popular. I think about three years after Charles becomes king they will all decamp to Caernavon for the investiture. If it happens sooner than that then I would think Charles would need to go on the list. Ah, but PC's Investiture took place a long time after he was made PoW. The ceremony isn't a necessary part of it. But times are different, and it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't give William the title for a few years, or even not at all. William already has a dukedom and other titles, so there's no urgency about it. By comparison, the Queen could have given Anne the title of Princess Royal at any time after 1965 (when the previous holder died), but she kept it back for years so that it could be seen to have been earned through Anne's charity work. True he was also made PoW when he was 19 years old so just after he reached his majority a milestone William has already passed.

Looks more like a small to me.

They haven't got everything right, though. "Prince William will become the new Prince of Wales — Charles’ current role." While that may well happen, it's not automatic. 'Prince of Wales' is a title in the gift of the monarch. Prince Charles himself wasn't created Prince of Wales until 1958, six years after his mother's accession. This is actually quite important the opportunities for pomp are part of the thing that keeps the monarchy popular. I think about three years after Charles becomes king they will all decamp to Caernavon for the investiture. If it happens sooner than that then I would think Charles would need to go on the list.

I will defend Giles Brandrath just for the comment he made Appearing on daytime television in brightly coloured jumpers will not necessarily endear you to people but if you want them to really hate you become a Tory MP. On Just A Minute he is a joy especially the time they deliberatly didn't ring the bell just to see how long he could go on for.

Desmond Tutu doesn't seem that bad in my opinion. Three visits to hospital in recent weeks says otherwise

Although it is less than three weeks since George died it is beginning to feel like a lull. There are only 18 weeks left in this year and if we have to wait four weeks between each hit then we will struggle to break the record.

On a whim went to see the new Men From UNCLE film directed by Guy Ritchie. It was surprisingly good fun and even Mrs Bibliogryphon who is often sceptical of these things enjoyed herself. It is also an answer to a question: name me a film in which Hugh Grant isn't really annoying.

So with Jimmy Tarbuck, Bob Carolgees, Paul O Grady, Christopher Biggins and Kenny Lynch at Cilla's funeral it reads like the worst summer season at some washed out East coast seaside resort EVER.

All of the Conservative government supported British entry into the EU and campaigned for a yes vote in the referendum when they were in opposition.

OK I have already drafted my 2016 shadowlist although within 20 minutes of drafting it I found out that Grace Lee Whitney had died. We have 22 the same. 17 others are under active consideration 3 were off my very long list 9 were completely off my radar - probably because I am unsure who they are or why they are famous. No room for Desmond Tutu, Joni Mitchell or Robert Mugabe?

I have been watching the 1983 BBC adaptation of Mansfield Park and although he was on my radar it reminded me that Bernard Hepton is still alive and will be 90 this year.